I used to be terrified of snakes and then I moved to the desert and knew I'd have to be dealing with snakes. So I made myself find out about them and learn about them. I do have Steve Irwin to thank for educating me.

I still have a healthy fear of running into poisonous snakes. We have copperheads around here and I ran into one the other day.

Now that I know more about snakes I know that there are many "good" snakes and whenever I can I make myself go and hold snakes at museums and zoos. I recently touched a python. And no, it wasn't Monty.

I love snakes and don't mind holding them (Of course they have to be constrictors though). In fact I would love to own one some day. When I was still in high school, a kid brought in his pet ball python and I was one of 2 people who wanted to hold it.

I love them. And I think they're beautiful. And very cool. I wouldn't want one as a pet though, because keeping them cooped up in a box is wrong. I like them in the wild, so long as they don't bite me (Not that I'm really at risk over here, there's one type of venomous in the UK, and that's an Adder ). If I were in Ausland, I'd probably feel a bit differently

Snakes have never been something I'd been afraid of. Use to catfh them quite regularly when I wa young. Been bitten a couple times and still hadn't stopped me. Can't say I've been close to one in the flesh for a decade or so, but I wouldn't go running.

There's something really terrifying about them, but I love the reptile house at the zoo . . . it's like a chance to just face the abyss or something, to face something that, in the cultural sense, stands for everything that's evil and sickening.